Spartans drop one at Richfield

Tyler Olsen in junior varsity action against Richfield.

By GARY ARRINGTONSports Writer

With the beginning of the region season this Friday night, the Emery High Spartans are at a crossroads as the preseason 3A favorite comes to town on Friday night. The Morgan Trojans will do battle with our Spartans to start the 3A North region season. Emery ended their preseason schedule last Friday night in Richfield with a 42-12 loss. Emery is now 1-3 this football season.

Richfield capitalized on three Emery fumbles and blew open an otherwise tight ball game. At the end of the first half, Emery had the ball near midfield and were driving toward the Wildcat end zone with the score 7-6 when the ball was fumbled and picked up by a Richfield player and returned for Wildcat touchdown. In the second half, Emery twice fumbled the ball in their own territory and Richfield scored twice. Half of the Wildcat points came after an Emery fumble.

Emery scored once in the first half and once more in the second half. The first score came on a Braden Burke one-yard run after Emery recovered a Richfield fumble at the Wildcat 36-yard line. The second score came late in the game with Matt Mecham, this week playing at fullback, scored on a two-yard run up the middle. This score came after a 61-yard drive, Emery's longest of the game.

Emery gained 90 yards in the first half and 87 yards in the second half for a total of 177 yards of offense in the game. Ryan Cox was the leading rusher with 80 yards gained. Burke gained 51 yards on the ground in his initial play at running back.

Despite the slow start, the injuries and all the other distractions as the season has progressed, the Emery team, players and coaches, firmly believe that the season can be productive and they can be successful. Emery is committed to playing the rest of the season with character.